Lever or knob locksets commonly require a specific orientation with a latch of a door assembly to ensure that the lockset properly seats within the latch when the door assembly is in a closed or locked position. Because the orientation of the latch is determined by the handing of the door, such locksets typically become “handed” as well, thereby limiting the application of the lockset. Specifically, handed locksets constrain the styling options of the escutcheons, knobs, and levers by requiring separate components to accommodate handed doors. In addition, handed locksets suffer from the disadvantage of requiring storing, manufacturing, and design of components for both hands, thereby increasing manufacturing and production costs.
During installation operations, it is desirable that a lockset be capable of accommodating either a right-handed or a left-handed door. Further, it is desirable that a lockset accommodate varying exterior and interior door designs. Further yet, it is desirable that a lockset be capable of utilizing common components across various designs in an effort to reduce product variation and increase manufacturing efficiency. To that end, a lockset having a reversible locking mechanism plays a significant role.
Some conventional locksets attempt to eliminate the problem of handed doors by providing the installer with an adjustment mechanism to toggle the lockset between a right-handed and left-handed setup. In this manner, the adjustable lockset obviates the need to have multiple handed locksets by providing the installer with the ability to fit a single lockset to either a right-handed or a left-handed door. However, such locksets, while adequately providing for attachment and use on either a right-handed or a left-handed door, suffer from the disadvantage that conversion between the two hands often requires extensive disassembly and is typically a time consuming process.
Therefore, a lockset that provides for installation on either a right-handed or a left-handed door, without requiring extensive disassembly of the lockset, is desirable in the industry. Furthermore, a lockset that is easily movable between a right-handed and a left-handed configuration while concurrently enabling a plurality of escutcheon, knob, and lever designs is also desirable.